


Confrontation

by FallLover



Series: It Started Out As a Feeling [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, All Human AU, Anxiety, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, Drunkenness, Gavin's cat, M/M, Modern AU, References to Depression, Sad Ending, Substance Abuse, reverse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 12:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18120443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallLover/pseuds/FallLover
Summary: Gavin kicked Niles out. Gavin has the amazing idea to get drunk afterwards.





	Confrontation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the problem with intent](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16766890) by [theslap (bigspoonnoya)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigspoonnoya/pseuds/theslap). 



> Inspired by theslap (bigspoonnoya)'s "the problem with intent", and tweets they made about what would happen after.

Gavin got really damn drunk the second night Niles was gone. He was feeling miserable and lonely, and didn't feel like calling anyone from work. Tina was sick of his shit and his newer work friends wouldn’t get it. He didn't want to be around anyone. So he pulled out all the beer at his apartment and got Really. Damn. Drunk.

He didn't remember making the decision to go to Niles’ place. A sensible part of his brain would wonder if Niles was even in. Maybe he was at work or at Hank’s, or a friend’s, or just… out.

But he ended up at Niles’ place because the sensible part of his brain was buried under a deluge of cheap, easy-drunk alcohol.

As it turned out, Niles was walking up to his apartment. And Connor was with him.

Niles saw Gavin first and his eyes narrowed. Connor looked confused, but Gavin didn't notice.

“Hey-hey-hey, hey… Niles…?” Gavin asked. He forgot what he was here for. If he had a reason. His voice was slurring. He could barely hold a thought together. He blinked at Niles, blinked back at Connor, thought he was seeing four people who all looked the same, then looked back to Niles. “Hey _Niles_ …”

“Gavin, why are you here?" Niles asked. "And… drunk?” He was unhappy. Gavin either didn't realize or didn't care. Or both.

“S’a free country, right?”

“Gavin, go home.”

Connor glanced between them, not knowing what to do. There were a few passersby. Some stopped to stare.

“Hey I wanted to ask you… something…”

“So ask me when you’re sober,” Niles responded.

“Did you ever like me?”

Niles blinked at him.

Gavin was wobbling but staring at Niles. He felt slightly more… aware. He didn't know why that question came out. But he really wanted to know the answer.

Niles simply stared back for a while, and finally replied, “Go home Gavin.” Niles walked the last few steps to his apartment, unlocked the door, and went in, shutting the door behind him.

Connor stayed out, worried about leaving Gavin alone. Gavin blinked dumbly at the spot where Niles had stood, apparently confused that the spot was now empty. Connor pulled out his phone and called Hank.

“...Hank, if you’re free can you bring your car to Niles’ place? … Thanks. It’s not… really an emergency, but if you could be fast that would be nice. Thank you.” Connor put his phone away and looked at Gavin again, who was still staring at the spot where Niles stood.

* * *

 

Hank drove up in his RV and pulled up to the curb. He got out and walked to Connor, looking over at Gavin briefly before back to Connor. “So what’s up?”

“Would you please take Detective Reed home?”

“…Seriously?” Hank looked back at Gavin, who was now wobbling away. The onlookers from earlier had left long before, and Gavin was vaguely heading towards some shops, but swerving way too much and muttering to himself. “Let me guess: he’s drunk.”

            “Yes.”

            “Did he do something?”

            “I think he tried to have a conversation with Niles that didn’t end well.”

            “Why not just call a cab?”

            “I don’t know his home address.”

            “Niles…?”

            “I doubt he wants to talk to or about Gavin at the moment.”

            “Yeah, I don’t blame him.”

            Hank trotted up to Gavin, who hadn’t gotten that far, and grabbed him by the arm. Gavin swirled around and tried to punch Hank, but the punch was weak and badly aimed, and he missed entirely. Mostly he just fell into Hank, who pushed him back into a standing position.

            “The fuuhh…?” Gavin slurred.

            Hank sighed. “You’re lucky I’ve been to your place before. Come on Gav.” Hank pulled him along, half-carrying him at this point. “Con, can you get the door?”

            Connor opened the passenger door for him, and Hank pushed Gavin onto the chair, buckling the seatbelt. Gavin squirmed a bit, then settled and looked around, as if he was surprised to find himself in a new environment. Hank shut the door and said, “I’ll keep you updated.” He kissed Connor on the cheek and went back to the driver’s side. “Don’t want you to have to deal with more of his dumbassery.”

            “Thank you, Hank. I’m going to go check on Niles.”

            Hank strapped himself into his seat and started the car.

            “Are we going back to the office?” Gavin asked. “S’my day off.”

            “No we’re not going to the office. I’m taking your drunk ass home.”

            Gavin blinked at that. He was quiet for a bit as they drove, before saying, “Wanted to see Niles.”

            “I guess so.” Hank knew that talking to drunks was a dumb idea, but he was annoyed at the whole situation, so he went with what snark he could get.

            “Niles doesn’t like me.”

            “Niles doesn’t like most people. Probably doesn’t help that you’re drunk.”

            “…People don’t like me.”

            Hank glanced briefly at Gavin who stared dazedly at the windshield. Hank looked back ahead and said, “…Bit harsh, I think. Maybe lay off the alcohol?”

            “Should go to the office,” Gavin said. “Work’s all I’m good at.” He giggled.

            Hank had no response to that.

            Hank wanted to just dump Gavin in front of his apartment building, but a niggling voice that sounded like Connor had him half-carry the other man into the building, up the stairs, and to his door. The door was unlocked;  Gavin apparently hadn’t bothered to lock it when he left. At least Hank hoped that’s what it was, rather than a break-in. Hank listened for sound inside, but heard nothing. Then he cautiously dragged Gavin in. He noticed that there were discarded beer cans all over the place. He was hardly surprised. There was a meow ahead, and he looked up to see a large brown cat sitting on the couch in front of the TV, watching him.

            “I’ll be out of your hair fast enough, furball. Just gotta drop off your lump of an owner.” He looked around and spotted a dark room. When he walked up to it with his burden and scrabbled for a light switch, he revealed a rather bland bedroom. One big, unmade bed with generic bedsheets. A nightstand with a phone charger atop it. More empty beers scattered about. A doorway leading to another room that Hank assumed was the bathroom, and a doorway to a darkened closet. A window with the curtains drawn. It could have been a cheap hotel, but for the absence of generically cheap art. He walked around and sat Gavin on one side. Gavin fell back on his back with a ‘whumpf’ and grumbled.

            Hank checked under the bed, in the closet, and in the bathroom real quick, just to be extra safe that there wasn’t a mugger waiting things out. He found nothing.

Hank debated leaving Gavin there, but decided to go to the kitchen and get the man a glass of water. The cat ignored him as he looked. In his search, he spotted some familiar pill bottles. The prescriptions were things he recognized. Depression. Anxiety. He sighed, got the water, and returned to the bedroom.

            Gavin had apparently managed to sit up in the time Hank had spent in the kitchen, and also somehow found an unopened can of beer. He was currently attempting to open it.

            “Hey, stop it,” Hank marched forward and took the can, and traded it for the glass. “Drink that.”

            Gavin briefly tried to open the glass like it was a can, frowned, then downed the whole thing. Hank took the glass from him and set it and the beer on the nightstand. He pushed Gavin back onto the bed and rolled him onto his side, pushing his legs onto the bed.

            Gavin grumbled at him and weakly pushed him away. “Fuckin… Niles…”

            Hank frowned, but Gavin didn’t try to move after that, and stayed on his side. Hank did a brief search of the room. He found an unopened bottle of beer and two empties, but nothing else. Gavin didn’t have his gun belt, so Hank grabbed the two beers, the empties, and the glass, and walked out, flicking the light off as he went. He debated leaving it at that. He’d done way more than could be expected, right?

            He put his loot on the kitchen island and searched for more beer. He didn’t find much – evidently Gavin had been quite successful in drinking most of it. He put the empties in the trash, refilled the cat’s water bowl, and piled the unopened beers on the island. He’d give them back when Gavin was sober. He left after that, beers in his arms. He shut the door behind himself.

* * *

 Niles was drinking tea in his living room when Connor walked in.

“I wondered if you’d pull out a bong,” Connor said as he sat nearby. “This feels like an “I need to get high right now” moment.”

“I think there are enough people off their rocker right now.”

“I’m sorry that happened. It was… it was bad.”

            “Yes well. Gavin does have a tendency to go above and beyond at the worst of times.”

            “Doesn’t sound like someone you’d like much.”

            Niles shrugged and drank more tea.

            “How are you feeling?”

            “Peachy.”

            “Do you want me to do anything?”

            “He’s gone?”

            “Yeah. Hank drove him home.”

            “…Good. Thanks.”

            “You worried about him?”

            “I can easily see him falling into a ditch or a sewer on his own.”

            “So that’s a yes on the worry?” Connor asked with a slight smile.

            “No. He’s just that clearly drunk and stupid.”

            “…Niles, what really happened between you two? You barely ever talked about it and then it ended and now you won’t even say.”

            “It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”

            “You kept at me about David. Even when I didn’t want to talk about it.”

            “Gavin is not David.”

            “Why? Because he’s _your_ ex and not _mine_?”

            “No because… Gavin isn’t an abusive asshole.”

            “Well that’s good to know.”

            “Also he’s good at his job, so there’s that.”

            “…You’re talking about _Gavin_?”

            “Of course.”

            “You sound… proud.”

            “I’m just distracted. That’s all.”

            “So you were really dating? He’s officially an ex?”

            “He’s not officially anything. We’re officially nothing. We were… it was just casual sex.”

            “That went on for around two months.”

            “Was I this annoying when you broke up with David?”

            “Yes. But worse because you’re you.”

            Niles pursed his lips and played with the rim of his cup.

            “What did you like about him?” Connor finally asked.

            “Well the sex, obviously.”

            Connor rolled his eyes. “And anything else?”

            “He was… tolerable. He has a nice cat. Named Meatball. Which is a truly ridiculous name.”

            “Sounds cute.”

            Niles scoffed.

            Connor poured himself some tea. His phone buzzed and he glanced at it. “They got to Gavin’s place. Hank put him to bed.”

            “Good.”

            Connor read some more. “Hank says Gavin’s place is a mess.”

            Niles looked down. “It wasn’t whenever I was there. Always pretty clean and organized.”

            “Maybe he had a party? Or maybe he just kept it nice for…?”

            “I think it was a nervous thing. You know, people who are anxious and just clean their living spaces to create order of some part of their chaotic lives. Plus, he had no hobbies outside work.”

            “Work isn’t a hobby.”

            “Work is his _life_. _And_ his hobby.”

            “Doesn’t sound that fun to be around. Even Hank had Cole. But he’s also got other interests.”

            “Cops,” Niles said with a roll of his eyes. “Gavin has… issues. He just focused on his work to deal with them. Or not deal with them, really.”

            “I cannot _imagine_ anyone like that.”

            “Shut up. I use sex to avoid my problems. Not work. I like my work, but not _that_ much. And I have hobbies. And a social life.”

            “Was Gavin interfering with that?”

            “No. Never intruded. Never kept me away from people or anything. He actually encouraged me to go out and do stuff. Normally I’d say it was his attempt to just get me to leave him alone but… he very obviously suffers from low self-esteem issues. He likely thought I didn’t want to be around him most of the time. That I detested spending time with him or something.”

            “You’ve made it clear you dislike people with self-esteem issues. I recall that was one reason you disliked Hank at one point.”

            “Yes… but Gavin still tried to… be with me. In his own way. I guess you could call it sweet. He had this ridiculous conversation with me when… well. He was willing to be miserable so long as he could have this… so long as we would keep having sex. It was desperation, I think. Loneliness and all that. But the way he said it. Like he liked something about me enough to pretend that my not liking him back didn’t bother him. I guess that changed, but at the time it was… almost endearing.”

            “You sound like you liked him, then.”

            “…Who knows? Besides, _he_ was the one who kicked _me_ out.”

            “Do you know why?”

            “I think it’s obvious. He wants affection and I don’t do that. If he just wanted sex, that’s fine. But, well… clearly that wasn’t enough.”

            “So you’ll just walk away then?”

            “I guess so.”

**Author's Note:**

> The story continues in "Let's Try This Again".


End file.
